The Untitled Takers Project
by SpaceAstronautCapt.RobotKoala
Summary: AJ and his longtime girlfriend Juliette have moved to China to take some time off from their criminal lifestyles after a job-gone-wrong. But a powerful criminal demands the crew's help and despite their resources, they can't afford to lose. Everyone is fighting for the upper hand. Who says they can trust just anyone in a world of crime?... Set after the movie.
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** So I kinda fell in love w/ this movie, esp. with AJ ;) This is my first actual fanfiction that I've followed through with and it's also practice for a portfolio I'm putting together for college. I greatly appreciate the time taken to read it- reviews are appreciated as well, and of course, constructive criticism(: I own nothing except the product of my imagination. This takes place _after _what happened in the movie. Oh and excuse the title- I haven't found a good one and so therefore it's unofficially "The Untitled Takers Project." Enjoy!

The Untitled Takers Project

_Chapter 1_

_Beijing, China_

"You've got to be kidding me." AJ Goode was holding a white felt fedora with a black trim. It was obviously expensive and had just come out of the shiny black box that had been sitting on the marble kitchen counter when he walked in, waiting patiently with an immaculate red bow.

His girlfriend, Juliette, was at the stove, expertly wielding a spatula to flip a pancake. She looked away momentarily to smile at him. "I couldn't resist getting it for you."

"What happened to 'I won't get you anything for your birthday, AJ'?"

"Change of plans," she chuckled. "Well, what are you waiting for? Put it on, I want to admire my good taste."

AJ laughed and shook his head, running a hand through his ruffled blond hair before putting the hat on. "Jules, you didn't have to."

"When you look like _that? _Of course I did!" She scoffed but grinned, silently appraising the hat and how it made him look. She remembered when they'd gone shopping a few weeks earlier and the hat was sitting in a display case. It had been practically calling AJ, who, months before that, had lost one just like it in a unfortunate brawl with vengeful Russians.

"Nuh-uh!" She waved the spatula at him as he started towards her. "There's more."

"There's more?" he asked, sounding like an eager little boy. Undoubtedly he was an eager little boy that had secretly expected another present or two.

This time Juliette turned off the stove and crossed her arms as she leaned on the counter to watch him.

The white box he pulled out between the tissue paper fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. Inside was another one, smaller, fancier, and made of dark blue velvet. AJ seemed to recognize it, his posture suddenly going stiff and rigid. Nevertheless he remained silent. The box snapped open the same way it did years ago when Juliette's grandfather received it from her grandmother.

AJ wasn't smiling at all. In fact, when he looked up and met Juliette's eyes, she could see the vulnerability he rarely let show. He almost seemed to be in pain. "Juliette." He ignored her shaking her head. "I can't take this—"

"Yes you can," she interrupted, giving him a reassuring smile. "You meant something to him. I know he'd have wanted you to have it." She didn't go any further, letting her words sink in.

He didn't argue with her. So instead he took the ring from the box's hold and walked over. It glinted as it passed through the sunlight streaming through the window behind her. He held it out and asked quietly, "Then would you do the honors?"

She didn't know if it was the morning or even the soft, intimate way he spoke, but Juliette couldn't help but think to herself for the thousandth time how lucky she was, how this man, who loved her more than his own life, was all hers. And he was waiting patiently, regarding her with those eyes she'd easily fallen in love with. They were brooding, the color of transparent sky, and seemed to strip her of any walls she put up, reading her as easily as an adult would read a children's book. It wasn't always easy to do the same with him, but right now she could see the hints of guilt and something else, sympathy maybe, hiding in those cloudy blues. Yet no matter what AJ was feeling, no matter what emotion flooded his eyes, he was always handsome. Juliette looked at him and saw all the reasons why she couldn't let him have what negative feelings he felt right then and there.

She tore away from his gaze and took the ring. She slipped off the existing silver band from his hand, replacing it with her grandfather's. It was difficult to not stare at it; its wonderful gold was untainted and held a kind of old beauty that went deeper than the old-fashioned intricate designs engraved into it. It was more than a reminder of what kind of relationship her grandparents had. Looking down at it, Juliette kissed the ring on AJ's hand.

He reached up and traced his fingers along her jaw up to her cheek. "Thank you," he told her softly, moving closer.

She was suddenly aware of the warmth emanating from his body and the blood pounding in her ears. "I love you" was all she could say as she folded her fingers over his.

AJ said something then but Juliette didn't have time to register it because he was kissing her. Without hesitation she responded, trying to mold herself into him as everything on her mind vanished. The cooled pancakes, the abandoned silver ring, and the surprises she had planned for the rest of the day—they were all gone and replaced with AJ, only AJ. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Juliette ignored the edge of the counter that was digging in her lower back. Her heart was hammering away as AJ's hands found his way to her waist underneath her cotton tee. She sucked in a sharp breath as his ring pierced her with icy coldness but it didn't faze her. Every kiss seemed to feel more desperate than the last and she wanted to breathe but at the same time, his hands were inching further up—

A phone rang.

They jumped and Juliette swore she felt her heart stop. It had been racing while they kissed; surely she'd had a mini heart attack.

AJ strode over to his cell phone and she felt the excitement walk away with him. He glanced at the caller ID. "It's my dad," he said after a moment. His voice was tight and only partly full of surprise.

Juliette turned around, tugging at her shirt. Her skin still burned and tingled from his touch and her heart rate was slowing, but for some reason her hands were shaking as she reached to turn the stove on. She continued with their breakfast, letting herself listen in on AJ's conversation and trying to ignore her unsteady hands.

He seemed to be thanking his father, probably for the birthday greeting. He discussed their move to China, and Juliette, and what had gone on in his life for the past year they hadn't spoken. Juliette could hear his tone of controlled reserve and when she snuck a glance toward him, she saw the tension in his figure. "No, I understand…" he was saying.

She sighed. AJ's father barely kept in contact. After AJ had left for Cornell almost ten years ago, his father had practically disappeared, leaving his mother crushed and confused. AJ would receive a short letter or call from him a couple times a year at most. In the last few years, communication had dropped down to an awkward, somewhat cheesy phone call once a year that involved a father pretending he'd always cared, perhaps to convince not only his son but himself, and a son that _didn't_ bother to pretend and couldn't give less of a damn whether or not he had a father figure in his life. Juliette knew AJ had a low tolerance for him and wondered why his father was even bothering to call and why now. She knew he had apologized for not sending him any gift, but of all the birthdays he'd missed in years… he was saying sorry for _this_ one? She could only imagine what AJ was thinking.

Watching him pace slowly back and forth between the kitchen and dining room, Juliette felt a sudden surge of frustration and anger at his father. He had made it clear the week his son left for college that he was no longer part of his life. Doing this, calling him and apologizing… it only made things worse. It was time for his father to realize his mistake. And she could read that in AJ's eyes as he briefly met hers. _He could be having a better day than this, _Juliette thought. _It's time for him, for both of them, to let it go._

"Well, that lasted longer than I thought it would."

Juliette had just sat down at the glass dining table, staring at the steaming cup of peppermint tea before her as she awaited AJ to get off the phone. It took her a moment to realize he was speaking to her; she'd spent a good deal of the conversation busying herself with how many chocolate chips to put in the pancakes and whether to use plastic or metal knives. She watched him sit heavily into a beige and black suede chair with a sigh, as if he were exhausted, which he probably was.

Before she could say anything, AJ whistled. "I see an aspirin in my future," he said, looking at the plates of pancakes, bread, bacon, and eggs before him. He reached for a slice of bread and a knife.

Juliette couldn't tell if he wanted to talk about his father or not. He was one of those people who, no matter how dismissive, are only sometimes willing to share anything. Juliette wasn't like that—she either said what was on her mind whenever she was upset or remained eerily quiet, and because of this, she wasn't able to relate to him in this way. But seeing how he was almost violent in spreading the butter on his toast, she decided to ask a safe question. "How is he?"

"He says he's fine," AJ replied flatly. There was a pause and Juliette almost thought he wouldn't say anything more when he added, "Still living in Ontario, still 'taking a day at a time' doing what retired men do: golf, golf, and drink. The man's not even fifty-five." Instead of setting the knife down, he stuck it in the tub of butter with more force than needed. "He asked about you."

"Oh?"

AJ shook his head. "He acts like you're the best and closest thing to a daughter he's ever had and he wishes you'd have gotten to know each other better last time you met."

"I'm sure if he wasn't the man he is, I'd be glad to concur." There was less conviction in Juliette's voice than there was bitterness.

He smiled. It was a few minutes of clinking china and crunching bacon strips before he spoke again. "When I told him about moving here, he was surprised but…." AJ's eyes were trained on his coffee mug, his finger tapping insistently on the handle. He gave a short, humorless laugh. "He tried to make me feel sorry for him. Apparently the construction company he works for is a little behind in the money-making department."

Juliette stared at him. _"He asked you for money?"_

His face was blank. "Not directly. But the implication was there." He stopped tapping the mug and downed the rest of the coffee, setting it down with a grimace.

But she was still staring at him, the incredulity and irritation in her voice fighting over each other. "I can't believe he had the nerve to ask you for money! Is he not aware of the shitty relationship—if you can even call it that—he's tried to maintain by a means I can't even begin to comprehend?"

"I didn't even pretend to realize what he was going for. I just said a sorry, good luck and goodbye."

Making a sound of disgust, Juliette turned back to her food, stabbing at the eggs and shoving it into her mouth. "Those aren't the words I would've used." The feelings were back again, ones of annoyance and bitterness… all coming together into fierce protection for AJ. She'd only met his father once, it was true, but she had been with AJ long enough to understand just a little of where he came from.

He'd lapsed into silence, staring at something across the table and living room and through the wall made entirely of glass, so crystal clear it appeared there was nothing separating them from the outside. On the other side of that glass, Beijing city lights twinkled and flickered in the distance like the ones on a Christmas tree. Juliette understood why he would look out there—it was a spectacular view and it did wonders to her artist's eye, but hidden between the thousands of little illuminations were AJ's thoughts and wonders. He loved sightseeing, probably more for the sake of his troubles than a pretty sight. While Juliette preferred to paint and draw what was on her mind, AJ dwelled on his feelings despite how much he refused to be controlled by them.

Not wanting to think about his father anymore, she pointed her fork threateningly in his direction and said, "Unless you hurry up, I'll be wearing that hat today."

He tried to look up at his head, seeming he'd nearly forgotten the fedora there. Grinning at her, he countered, "Thinking you could pull it off better?"

"Excuse me?"

They laughed and Juliette mentally breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up from her chair. He had laughed and made a joke, meaning he wasn't going to be lost in his father business. _Now if only he would be like this for the rest of the day, _she thought.

"Hey—" AJ stopped her, grabbing her hand. He pulled her down for a kiss and leaned back to smile. "You cook amazing as always. Thanks babe."

It was Juliette's turn to smile. Why did she ever doubt for a second his ability to bounce back? AJ never let anything get the best of him. Look at him now, his father forgotten and Juliette seemingly the only thing of his concern.

She bent down and pressed her lips firmly against his another time. "Anytime."


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **I know this is a long chapter and I apologize for that. I don't want to bore anyone so I hope it's satisfactory!

_Chapter 2_

AJ received more birthday calls that morning, each of them from the friends he and Juliette had back in Los Angeles. They hoped they could get the crew together in the future to do another job and were curious about how his special day would be spent in China. He felt the exact same way in those subjects, especially about celebrating his birthday. "Who knows?" he'd joked, talking to Gordon Cozier, "Considering Juliette, I'm kinda scared." One particular call originated in Florida. Even with the twelve-hour time difference, his mother had stayed up to talk to him. Unlike her ex-husband, Angela Field kept herself involved with her son's life, doing her best to make up for what he failed to do. She was a traveler and always had been; it wasn't hard to see where AJ had inherited his appreciation for sightseeing. Apart from his friends and Juliette, his mother was all he had.

Feeling rather placated after the calls, AJ treaded slowly down the cream carpeted stairs, running a lazy hand down the black metal rail. Juliette had said she'd meet him in a few minutes, not to anyone's surprise. Nonetheless it allowed AJ time to admire his getup in the mirror and the house itself. Truthfully, the interior decorating reflected both his and Juliette's tastes. They'd wanted to preserve bits and pieces of Beijing in the largely modern style of their home. The color scheme was relatively neutral: black and white with complementary shades of taupe. Splashed here and there was a colorful porcelain vase adorned with dragons or peonies, a framed picture of gold Chinese characters speaking good luck; in the corner of the entryway stood a folding screen painted by Juliette herself. Stainless steel, polished marble, and priceless furnishings were what AJ was used to.

"Admiring yourself again, I see." Juliette's tone was amused and playful. AJ was standing in front of the large mirror hung in the entryway and turned just as she made the last few stairs.

"Well someone has to do it," he said matter-of-factly, throwing her a cheeky grin.

She joined him at the mirror. "You sure know how to flaunt your looks."

They stood there, admiring one another. AJ wore a flashy Dolce & Gabbana suit made up of a white jacket with light gray lapels matching his trousers. A black button-up and shoes brought out the trim of his new fedora. The expression on his face completed the whole "I'm comfortable in my own skin" look. As for Juliette, she'd gone for casual dress, and wore a black blazer, a cropped top, and dark skinny jeans tucked into her favorite pair of brown high-heeled boots, her brunette locks falling in loose curls. Her wrists jangled with assorted bracelets as she reached up to put an arm on AJ's shoulder, which was easy since the boots added the several inches needed to be his height.

"I could say the same about you," AJ said smoothly.

She snorted. "Alright, enough dawdling. You have a birthday to celebrate." Juliette planted a kiss on his cheek before walking to the front door, passing with a cloud of floral perfume. "Considering this place I'm taking you, I'm willing to leave you behind if I have to."

Although he didn't have a clue as to where they were going, AJ figured he'd be patient and wait. He'd enjoy the ride, meaning both the trip into the city (or wherever their destination may be) and the ride itself. The sleek silver Cadillac XLR made it virtually impossible to not enjoy whatever journey it was taken on. It seated five passengers in its grey leather interior and the steady hum of the 320 horsepower V8 engine was music to his ears. Even the air-conditioning was practically its own luxury—it was late May and the temperature was rising as spring turned into summer.

He was anxious and excited as they piled into the car but underneath AJ had a sense of obligation. Regardless of what Juliette did for him, he had to be grateful… partly because he owed it to her. The last time he'd been selfish he'd nearly gotten her killed. And for what? Not trusting her? Underestimating her and overestimating himself? Not only had AJ almost lost the one woman in his life that could put up with him and love him at the same time, but he had come close to losing one of his best friends as well. And it was all because he was an egotistical, inconsiderate, good-for-nothing ass.

He shook his head, vowing for the hundredth time never to think or act like that again. The mistake he'd made never ceased to cross his mind every day, and though he wanted to think it helped him stay humble, he couldn't help but see it as more of a mere reminder and less of a lesson. It was hard to believe that almost four months ago, he and his friends together as a group of notorious, cunning criminals had successfully executed a bank heist in Los Angeles, chalking up millions of dollars. Everything had gone perfectly—it usually did. Just when they'd thought their lives couldn't get any more luxurious, an old acquaintance ("friend" would've been pushing it) showed up during a celebration at the bar owned by one of the men's fiancée, Lilly. Delonte Rivers, covertly known as Ghost, had been paroled that very day for good behavior after getting caught five years ago during one of the crew's jobs. He'd approached them with a plan, a new job that would yield almost twenty-five million. The catch? They had five days to do it.

Of course, the team had a hard time deciding whether or not they _could_ do it, let alone trust Ghost who no doubt had accumulated a taste for revenge, especially since Lilly, his girlfriend then, was now with Jake. After some speculation and arguments, the boys acquiesced and that, supposedly, was that. Over the next few days, groundwork was done and plans were drawn out, Jake and AJ engineering the execution and escape tactics like always.

Game days were supposed to begin with hype and anticipation and end with champagne and pockets filled with money. On this particular one, everything seemed to go wrong. No one admitted it but tension and nervousness were in the air that afternoon. For once, instead of that pre-game buzz and energy, AJ couldn't ignore the nagging, foreboding feeling he had. He wanted to think of that as an excuse for the way he treated Juliette, but there was no way anything could've justified what he had done. Nothing could ever appease the painful remorse that he felt when he recalled the fight they'd had.

She had come in while he was trying to put on the orange construction work suit the team was wearing. Overwhelmed with doubt and apprehension about Ghost, the heist, and everything else, AJ wasn't feeling so hot. And Juliette asking to join them didn't do any good either.

"Why not?" she demanded when he refused.

"You'll be safer here," he answered impatiently, tugging at the zipper on the suit.

"You must be joking."

AJ stopped and looked at her. "Why would I be joking? What's there to joke about?"

"This is the third heist you guys are going to pull since we met and you know I have the capabilities to—"

"Is that what this is about?" He shook his head. "Juliette, this is different. We just robbed a bank a week ago and what we're about to do was brought to us by Ghost. You may not know him but we do. _I _do. He can't be trusted and something could go wrong. It's not all fun and games."  
Juliette scoffed at that. "And this is coming from someone who loves stealing from banks and gets a thrill out of it."

"We all do! But that's not the point because the point _is _that we do not pull heists one after another within a whole year." AJ was getting frustrated. A small part of him knew he was making a bigger deal out of the situation than necessary but he needed to make her stay.

Yet she had never been one to back down. "And this is exactly why I should go with you! You might need an extra pair of hands and I have experience—"

"As a con artist, Juliette!" His voice cracked as it rose. "You're a _con _artist, not a professional bank robber."

"So what?" Juliette stepped toward him despite the fact he was refusing to look at her. "I know how to use a gun and I can very well fight hand-to-hand. Besides, I could be there to help you, AJ. You never know."

It was the wrong thing to say.

He slammed a hand down on the dresser nearby. _"Exactly! _Dammit, would you just listen to me, Juliette?" He glared across the room at her, almost oblivious to the shock and anger on her face. "You never know," he repeated, his voice slow and poisonous, "which is why I want you here and not there. Like I said, Ghost is a wild card—"

"Then why the hell are you going through with this?" Juliette had broken out of her stupor and went over to him, close enough to touch him. "If you're so unsure about this whole damn thing, why don't you stop it? You've never hesitated to say what's on your mind, _especially _when you didn't think something was right, and if I didn't know you any better, I'd say this is it, but it's not. I know it's not."

It went painfully silent, but it wasn't over yet. The pressure between them felt tighter than any knot AJ could tie with his bare hands. He just couldn't seem to undo this one.

"I just don't understand you right now, J." She was on the edge but her composure remained rigid and stubborn. "You're better than this. You _know_ I can do this—"

"NO." AJ had had enough. "You can't, Juliette, you can't." He remembered very clearly the words he couldn't take back. "You just don't get it, do you? I _don't _know that you could be a part of this, but what I do know is that you'd screw it up." Ignoring the gasp that escaped from her mouth and the look on her face as if she'd been slapped, he covered the remaining distance between them in a single stride and continued to shoot her down. "You aren't ready for this kind of thing. We're dealing with an armored truck containing millions of dollars and C4 in our hands, not some silly tricks-are-for-kids con plan where you can say 'That's okay, I'll try again tomorrow' if you mess up! This is serious, Juliette, and I am too. You are _not_ coming along on this robbery. I don't give a damn what you say—we'll be fine because you'll be staying here."

It was a total mess. It looked like she was torn between being livid or absolutely devastated, and whatever it was, AJ hadn't stayed long to see what she decided. Before he left the room, he looked back reluctantly. Juliette was struggling to keep calm but her green eyes were ablaze among her strangely blank face.

He felt a pang of something but shoved it down. "Everything will be fine," he said before shutting the door.

Had he the slightest idea of what would happen just a few hours later, AJ never would have gone through with the plan. The heist was pulled with several discrepancies but no one was caught or killed to everyone's relief. If they could evade unnecessary violence and remain anonymous, everything was fine. Just when they'd thought they could settle down and the icy strain among crew members began to thaw, things heated up quickly. Jesse Attica, Jake's brother and the youngest member of the group and less experienced, lost his bag of money on the run from cops while on his way to their rendezvous at the Roosevelt Hotel. Because this didn't register positive responses, the main crew had almost forgotten about Ghost, who had stayed true to his name and disappeared… along with millions of dollars in cash.

Bad luck came knocking on their hotel door and the unsuspecting bank robbers were attacked by Russian gangsters. Coincidentally, these were the same gangsters that Ghost had made a deal with days earlier, exchanging the deaths of his former teammates for half of the heist's money. The crew managed to take out the Russians without any fatalities. They set up a new rendezvous and split up, half of them going after their well-connected fence, Scott, who was holding their money and probably being tracked by Ghost. The other half, including AJ and Jake, raced home hoping to find Juliette and Lilly safe. When Jake realized that the two women weren't staying together, he was furious. He and AJ went at it, poor Jesse trying to drive and keep the two from killing each other. Once they reached the Attica house, their anger quickly turned to horror.

It was more horrible than any of them had anticipated. Lilly was already dead when they arrived but Juliette was taking her last breaths, having rushed over when the other woman called her. Everything from that moment on was burned into AJ's mind permanently. He had been vaguely aware of Jake telling him they had to go, had to leave, but AJ wouldn't leave her there; he wasn't going to let her die. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew his friend wasn't telling him to abandon her out of anger that Juliette was alive and Lilly was not. The crew had to leave anyone behind that could endanger them and put them in risk of getting caught. It was exactly what happened to Ghost. But AJ refused.

He remembered the shocking numbness he felt drowned in while Juliette was rushed to the hospital. He remembered the sharp scent of disinfectant and the lingering odors of death and sickness, and the dryness in his mouth from lack of food and drink. He remembered the steady beep of the heart monitor and the constant fear that it would draw out, signaling the loss of his everything.

Yet somehow she recovered. Somehow no one questioned him and the real cause behind the attempted murder. But AJ hadn't forgiven himself. Feeling more lost than angry, he couldn't talk to anyone, not even Jake and Juliette who'd—by some means—forgiven him. Jake, the man he was closest to out of the whole group and worked with the most because of their shared skills and knowledge, and Juliette… they had been in pain because of him. How could he ever make up for that?

So that was why they'd moved to China. In hopes of relieving AJ from his emotional turmoil and mending a nearly fatal blow to the crew, the two packed up their bags and left. No one talked about the heist aftermath, the death of Lilly and Scott (who Ghost had unfortunately managed to intercept), Juliette's near-death experience, or how close the entire team had come to falling apart. While slowly healing those wounds, AJ and Juliette wanted to spend time together in a new part of the world where they could have what passed for a "fresh start." They could forget about Ghost, who had died during a Mexican standoff.

It was a wound that was still healing, still throbbing in AJ's conscience. When he looked back at these memories, it hurt just like any other injury when poked and prodded. It was _these_ memories that reminded him of the last time he would ever put himself first. He owed it to Juliette that she was happy and he was too; he owed it to Jake, Lilly, Jesse, Gordon, John, and his mother.

He owed it to himself.

The sound of traffic awoke AJ from his reverie. He glanced around and immediately recognized the spectacles of the modern, industrial area of Beijing morphing into a more rural setting as they drove through the heart of the city. The tall glass spires soared high above all else behind them, their windows reflecting rays of early afternoon sunshine. Even at this time of day, the streets and sidewalks were filled with China's people. Everywhere masses of them milled about, crowding the streets on motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, and by foot.

"You okay?" Juliette asked. She'd been quiet as well during the twenty minutes it had taken them to get to this part of the city.

AJ looked over and gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course." He surveyed the area around them. "I didn't know we were already in town."

"Well you haven't exactly been paying attention," she pointed out. "Have any idea where we're headed?"

"There _is_ that new Italian restaurant that opened up somewhere around here in Tiananmen Square…" His tone was teasing.

"High expectations," Juliette laughed. Then she honked the horn multiple times and threw her hands up. "Why did I ever think I'd get used to Chinese traffic?" She sighed and added, "Hey, look in my purse. I've got a blindfold for you to wear."

When AJ pulled out the long purple cloth out, he looked over at her with an eyebrow raised. "This is a scarf."

"And my blood type is O-negative. Would you just put it on? Seriously, you'd think anyone would be able to tell you were wearing a blindfold, not a _scarf_."

"Damn, I'm dating a woman who's got more sass than Charlie's Angels."

Juliette flashed him a smile. "That's 'cause I'm not an angel."

It was another fifteen minutes before they finally stopped somewhere. Juliette came around to help him out of the car, keeping a firm grip on his arm. He tried to use his other senses to determine where they were but the only distinct detail was car exhaust and the sound of distant traffic, which didn't help in such a congested place like Beijing. "Can you at least tell me what we're near?"

"We're in Shijingshan," Juliette hastily, her voice sounding rough and shaky. "Now come on, we're gonna be late." She began to lead him away as AJ wondered what in the world they were doing on the other side of the city.

She led him carefully over a step, probably a sidewalk, and he felt a blast of conditioned air hit him when she opened a door. There was a faint sound emanating from somewhere; he couldn't tell exactly where or what it was, though it was slightly familiar. Before he could even rack his brain for possibilities, Juliette was ushering him forward. Again he felt another change in temperature and he knew immediately they were outside.

Her breath tickled AJ's ear as she whispered, "Happy birthday, AJ," and took the blindfold off.

It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the sun but it wasn't hard to recognize the scene before him. He was right—they were indeed outdoors. And there was dirt. A lot of it. But that was because they were standing in a BMX field. It was the Laoshan BMX Venue, _the_ venue that was built just for the 2008 Olympics. A quarter-mile of dirt track looped around them and the stench of exhaust and earth was heavy in the air. To AJ, who had had a fetish for two-wheeled vehicles ever since he'd first bought one in college, it was paradise.

AJ managed to process this in a split second or two before there was a huge "SURPRISE!" Standing before him were Gordon Cozier, Jake and Jesse Attica, and John Rahway, his entire crew. Gordon stood out among them, his tall, dark frame towering over the others. Jake was smiling pleasantly while his brother sheepishly scratched his head. And John, dear John, stood with his hands shoved into his suit pockets with a casual grin on his face. With them were various friends of AJ and Juliette that were made when they moved to China. Every single one of them wore a grin, telling him that they knew he'd have never expected something like this and were glad to be in on the secret.

They continued to stand there beaming as AJ shook his head, unable to say anything. "Holy… Oh my God." He laughed and put his hands to his head. "Holy shit, man. I can't believe this. You guys are here. You guys are seriously here!"

"We weren't gonna let you celebrate your birthday without us, man!" John spread his arms out, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, what kind of party is a party if I ain't there?" Jesse was the first one to saunter over and grab AJ for a hug. He looked exactly the same with his worn black zip-up jacket and cargo pants. Standing in the middle of the BMX field, he fit better into the scene than everyone else who wore designer suits and sophisticated clothing. "Happy birthday, J. It's so good to see you."

Everyone proceeded to swarm around him, clapping him on the shoulder, giving him hugs, giving him birthday wishes, and complimenting his outfit. "You've always cleaned up well, my man," Gordon said, barking out a laugh in his deep British voice.

"I gotta say the same about you guys." AJ stepped back to take a look at all of them. "You haven't lost your taste for style. When did you get here?"

"Late last night," John answered. "We're staying at the Crowne Plaza."

"Don't think you can get rid of us yet, AJ," Jake said, his tone joking. "We came here for one thing and one thing only: to make fun of you for getting older."

"I just came here for the ride," someone joked from within the group. The voice belonged to Shen Wu, the son of an incredibly wealthy businessman AJ had met while shopping on Jinbao Street. He saw that he was already dressed in motocross gear and a red and black BMX stood a little ways behind him. He realized it had to have been the source of the faint noise he'd heard earlier. "Sorry, I couldn't wait." Shen shrugged and grinned.

Jake laughed. "Nice to see you met someone who'll actually ride with you on those things." Despite their many shared interests, bikes were a no-no for Jake no matter how much AJ begged him to give them a try.

AJ looked at him and smirked. "But since you're here, obviously you'll be riding one, right?"

"Ha!" Jake snorted. "Alright man, just for you."

Looking at his friend, AJ said, "It's really good to see you, Jake. It really is."

Jake's startling blue eyes were filled with amusement but there was a thin layer of unfinished grieving. He nodded behind AJ and said, "All thanks to that wonderful girl back there. She's the one who did all of this."

AJ turned around and laid his eyes on her. She was smiling, obviously relieved that everything had gone well, and suddenly appeared five times more beautiful than he had ever seen her. Of course Juliette had done this for him. Because of her, the most important people in his life had shown up. Without hesitation AJ stepped toward her and took her face in his hands, saying, "I love you. So much," and kissed her.

There were whistles and hollers and whoops of laughter. He pulled away, chuckling, and took another good look around them. "It's just us?" he asked, noting that the venue was entirely empty besides the group.

"Just us," Juliette replied, not taking her eyes off him. "The entire place is rented out. Just for you." She squeezed his hand.

He looked down at her and then back towards his friends. Seeing them all together, especially the people that mattered most to him gave him an uplifting sense of home and peace of mind. He hadn't realized how much he missed them and how afraid he was that he wouldn't see them for several more months.

AJ grinned and held his arms out. "Well? Who's ready to get their ass kicked?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: **Sorry if time between updates is slow... I really don't mean to make anyone wait too long but it will definitely get harder once school comes around. I'll also be on vacation in 3 weeks! And please don't freak out if my chapters seem long- I don't want anyone getting scared off because I write too much. I promise things will get interesting enough that you won't care!

Hmmm, I spy with my four eyes that I've got hits on this story but no reviews! That makes me sad. Honestly, reviews mean much more than you think, no matter how short and small they are. I can't stress enough how greatly I love feedback because it really does help me. So yes. Review and I will for sure love you forever and ever(:

_Chapter 3_

_Las Vegas, Nevada, United States_

_6 hours earlier_

He stood in his private office, admiring the Nevada desert that stretched before him with detached interest. The weather was hot and dry but on this side of the thick bulletproof glass, air conditioning hummed and muted the ticking of the giant European wall clock.

Though he was a ridiculously rich man, he liked to be comfortable without being too pretentious. The white walls were soundproof and bore no paintings save the clock. The one bookshelf and large wide desk were made of African blackwood, one of the most expensive types of wood in the world, and were impeccably neat as if they were never touched. The carpet was an off-white cream kind of color, so thick you could bounce on it. Apart from the silver laptop, phone, and other electronics, there was nothing that revealed anything special about the man, no family photos. The only thing remotely close to drawing curiosity was the small model of Isaac Newton's cradle sitting lonesome on the corner of the huge desk.

Mr. Fontaine was not a man who had time to worry about personal matters. A rebellious child was nothing compared to the jeopardy his life was in every day. Mafia heads, gangsters, criminals, and terrorists all wanted him. Some of them wanted to work with him. Others wanted to kill him. World leaders and national securities wanted him dead or alive. Being in the business for so long and having committed more felonies and crimes than what was recorded about him, Mr. Fontaine was among the world's most notorious criminals, though "criminal" was a bit of an understatement. He'd learned the ways to climbing to the top and gaining power that nearly exhausted him. He was a smart man, a planner and a great thinker. Rarely did he go through with something without careful thought. Maybe it was all those years spent seeing half the world and the misguided, childish, and daft fools that inhabited it. It irked him, the fact that some could be so close to discovering success yet upon reaching it, instantly they were drawn under and blindfolded by the hands of petty modern world advancements and its tricks.

In any case, underneath that weighty sense of stupidity that most people held was some magnitude of usefulness. Mr. Fontaine, a man who didn't like to squander, always found a way to use someone when the opportunity presented itself. On that note, these opportunities were often, considering his power and resources. Of course, having a use for something didn't necessarily mean having the potential and capability to carry the task. Many people had failed him and they had gone to waste. It was all a matter of who could rise to the occasion and prove their worth, or rather, what was left of it.

"Mr. Fontaine." The voice that came from his desk was cool and clear as if his secretary was in the room with him. "Ms. Donnelly is here to see you."

"Send her in."

He had just sat down in the high-backed leather chair when the door to his office opened. The first thing he noticed about the woman was her height. She had to have been a whopping six feet at the least _without_ the five-inch heels. The next thing he saw was that she was a striking figure with a distinctly athletic build and lovely, mature features. She was dressed in what appeared to be a charcoal blazer and pencil skirt of a foreign, though expensive, brand and on her arm hung a large matching purse. Her highlighted blonde hair was pulled back in a tight, neat bun. Not a strand was out of place.

She sat in the chair in front of his desk, set her bag down, and looked him in the eye, confirming Mr. Fontaine's suspicions. They had never met in person but from their few phone calls and emails, she had come off as a very independent woman who resembled a delicately carved ice sculpture: beautiful, hard, and cold to the touch. She was an excellent criminal and was known for her clever way with words and deception. Unafraid and bold, Jacquelyn Donnelly was every man's worst nightmare.

"Mr. Fontaine," she greeted, a slight accent clipping the syllables. For a brief moment, Mr. Fontaine cast his mind back to the phone calls they had shared, realizing the voice he had heard only a handful of times through the receiver had always been American. The idea didn't surprise him.

He nodded politely. "Ms. Donnelly. I trust that your trip from the capitol was a pleasant and safe one?"

"Of course." The woman smiled, revealing brilliant white teeth between her red lips.

"And the President won't be expecting you?"

She waved a hand, the rings on her fingers winking in the sunlight. "He is far too busy concerning himself with international matters. Now—," she reached into her bag and pulled out a crisp yellow folder, "—for _business_ matters." Her eyes glittered with something unreadable as she set the folder in front of Mr. Fontaine and sat back with her hands folded across her lap.

He didn't touch it. "This is it?"

"This is it."

A few seconds ticked by on the giant clock before he reached out and opened it. Several papers were clipped together, printed with valuable information. Every few or so pages were marked with a Post-It flag, indicating a new subject. With each section came several photos, its source unknown for Ms. Donnelly's benefit.

And Ms. Donnelly, who had arrived more than prepared, began to speak as if reading off a script: "Gordon Cozier, thirty-nine years old, British-American, resides in Los Angeles, California. He's the head of this team and has led them through various dangerous, and quite successful, heists and bank robberies. They call him "G." for short. He has a sister who is currently checked in at a local rehab center in LA." The pictures accompanying the info were of an African-American man, first leaning on the balcony of his apartment and then visiting who appeared to be his sister in rehab. Ms. Donnelly waited until Mr. Fontaine flipped the pages. "Jake Attica, thirty-two years old, American, and also resides in Los Angeles. He's a graduate of Princeton University and has a degree in electrical engineering but is experienced in mechanical and chemical as well. He is one of the main masterminds behind their plan executions. In their last heist, his fiancée Lilly was murdered by an old member of their team, Delonte Rivers, aka "Ghost". His brother, Jesse, is twenty-five and had dropped out of Harvard after his freshman year. Though he's less experienced and doesn't have much of an area of expertise, he is as heavily involved in the crew as his brother."

Mr. Fontaine's mind was reeling as he looked over the photos and profiles. So far the men in this crew proved to be somewhat suitable to his needs. He had seen the records of their recent heists and quickly skimmed their information as Ms. Donnelly spoke. Not only were they notorious and incredibly good at keeping a low profile, they were classy and enjoyed life. There was Jake Attica, looking tasteful in designer clothes as he walked the streets of Los Angeles. Jesse Attica was a bit less flashy as he scarfed down a hot dog. This distinction between them almost made him laugh.

"John Rahway is unofficially second in command to Cozier. Thirty-one years old, American, and resides in LA. He was once a part of the methamphetamine business but quit when he met Cozier. He handles a gun very well, better maybe, than the others." The blond man had an air of arrogance and poise, if the two could coexist. In his pictures he was caught flirting with women and downing alcohol.

While she was talking, Mr. Fontaine couldn't help but notice something out of place in her presence. He spent every day in his office and knew his belongings well, but the woman had set something off. He couldn't tell what exactly it was—it was like that feeling of forgetting something or not knowing what to look for in two seemingly identical pictures.

"Andrew Jonathan Goode," Ms. Donnelly continued. Mr. Fontaine picked up a shot of a man dressed in a dress shirt, suspenders, and a fedora exiting what looked like a rundown bar in downtown Los Angeles. "Better known as AJ, he's twenty-eight years old as of tomorrow, but already today in China, and American. He lives in Beijing with his longtime girlfriend, Juliette, who we'll get to in a moment. He's a graduate of Cornell, which is why he is called "Ivy League" by the other crew members. Also having a degree in engineering, he works alongside Jake Attica during the preparation of their heists. He has no siblings and his parents are divorced."

Saying nothing, Mr. Fontaine put aside AJ's profile. The last section marked was of a woman named Juliette Pugh. He paid more attention to the biography before him than he did the others, using Ms. Donnelly's voice like an audio book. Pugh was twenty-six, having graduated from University of California, Los Angeles, and studied visual art and social science. She was a con artist, something that heightened Mr. Fontaine's hopes for this team. He had worked with a fair share of women in his years, rarely any of them anything other than assassins or suppliers. Few of them, like Ms. Donnelly, only revealed _some _of what they did. And only one of them had been a con artist and an amateur one at that.

Already the gears were spinning away in his head as he looked at the young woman in the pictures. Accumulated over the past few years, her hair was sometimes red, blonde, or black, probably only for con plans. Details of her cons were displayed on the papers, a couple of the names and businesses familiar to Mr. Fontaine. Not only did her talent appeal to him, the entire crew interested him.

"What time is it currently in China?" he asked brusquely, looking up to meet Ms. Donnelly's gaze.

"Six a.m."

"What is their schedule for the day?"

"By the looks of Goode's profile, they may be celebrating his birthday today."

"Will the rest of the crew be with them?"

Ms. Donnelly didn't seem to be fazed at all by the rapid fire questions. "I have people checking up on that now. There will be others with Goode and Pugh for sure, but we can fix that if you'd like."

"No," Mr. Fontaine said, putting the picture of the laughing brunette woman down. "Let them have their party. I want them here by tomorrow morning."

She nodded once and stood up to leave. On her way to the door she stopped and turned. Her eyes were curious but steely as she said, "Mr. Fontaine, I have been in this business for a long time, as have you. You and I are both powerful people in this world. I have seen many that refuse to do business unless they are sure they have the upper hand and everything plays out under their rules." She tilted her head. "I have respect for you, Mr. Fontaine, which is why I have never asked for what exactly you want these kinds of criminals for, but I have never been one to don the blindfold and shake hands with just anyone I do business with. In all honesty, I can be a woman of curiosity and I don't believe that you are a man of dishonesty." Ms. Donnelly gave a shrug. The gesture seemed unnatural to her professional gait. "So let me take the chance to ask you…"

He wasn't sure where she was going, but it had surprised him only a little. He hadn't expected her to say anything more than that she would get him this particular crew.

"What do you plan? Why did you need me to find these people for you?"

Never had anyone questioned his motives. It struck Mr. Fontaine more as peculiar than disrespectful that this woman was curious about what he was planning to do. She was very smart and wouldn't have asked if she'd thought it was a bad idea. "As I always say, Ms. Donnelly, a man's life is measured not by his worth but his utility."

"Two entirely different things," she added, smiling a poisonous kind of smile.

Mr. Fontaine sat back in his chair and looked at her. She was very beautiful but cold and calculating. He didn't trust her and he knew she didn't trust him. Respecting one was not trusting one. Instead of answering her question, he replied with one of his own: "The question is not of what they will do for me, Ms. Donnelly. Instead, what will I do for them?"

Her face remained stoic and smiling though she couldn't have been satisfied. "Very well. Your crew will be here in the morning. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Fontaine."

And it was when she left the room that Mr. Fontaine finally realized what had been off in her presence. She wore the lightest, sweetest perfume, so delicate even she couldn't have possibly smelled it. Why a detail was so noticeable to him, he wasn't sure. But it was as if she'd left her print, her mark in his office.

The other strange thing was that Mr. Fontaine recognized the scent. He had smelled it plenty of times during his trips to northern Europe. It was the lily of the valley, one of the world's most dangerous flowers.

And that's exactly what Jacquelyn Donnelly was. Not an ice sculpture, but a lily of the valley… white and poisonous.

Beautiful but deadly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: **So one of my friends is an editor for this story except we've both been horrendously busy. She hasn't edited this chapter or the upcoming ones I've already written. Regardless, I hope it's good enough. A bit of warning though: I'll probably be tweaking a few things here and there once in a while.

_Chapter 4_

_Beijing, China_

The Maison Boulud is located next to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing and its Legation Quarter. Built from the ashes of the former United States Embassy building, the French restaurant is one of the finest in the city, known especially for its ingredients taken locally and from the Pacific Rim. The menus are adjusted for seasonal changes, and the spring dinner hosts a variety of dishes: appetizers consist of an escargot platter of snail fricassee and frog legs or chilled tartare with a slow-poached quail egg; main courses range from Spanish mackerel and marinated vegetables à la Grecque, to baby pig, and Wagyu rib eye. Established in a manor house setting, Maison Boulud has not only a bar and lounge and an award-winning wine cellar, but it provides several private dining rooms and hotel rooms for when guests order too much spirits.

AJ's party was held in one of these dining rooms, called the Hercules Room. It perfectly seated the twelve guests in its hotel-like locale with a picture of the Greek demigod painted over an entire wall and gave them a comfortable privacy few restaurants could offer. Yellow candles flickered in the centerpiece and wine glasses clinked, filling and emptying through the night. Jesse's laughter echoed over the conversations, even when their meals were served, and everyone was having a good time. Everything was perfect.

"I swear it, Jake, you were enjoying yourself," John said at the end of the main course. "Don't think I couldn't hear you laughing when you whooped Jesse's ass."

Everyone at the table laughed but Jake waved his fork. "I think you mistook me for my cries for help."

"Aye, the only reason he won was 'cause my clutch wasn't working," Jesse protested through a bite of duck confit.

The woman next to him with reddish brown locks and wide grey eyes snorted. Her name was Rachel and she had been one of Juliette's first friends. "That's funny. You let me ride that bike afterwards and it seemed to work perfectly."

Again the table erupted with laughs and Juliette shook her head at Jesse. Since he'd met Rachel at the BMX venue, he'd never stopped looking for an excuse to talk to her. He had gone in her car to the restaurant and had offered her a bite of his appetizer and dinner at least six times. It was obvious to everyone that he had a thing for the woman. But knowing Rachel, Juliette couldn't help but feel bad for him.

Someone tapped her shoulder. It was one of their servers, asking if the party was ready to be served dessert. Jesse, of course, was the first one to affirm this, insisting there was room in his stomach for more. The servers were quick though, bringing out the sweets before he could ask Rachel if she would want the first bite of his.

It seemed that each dessert was made with pure sugar, filling the air with a faint sweetness that made Juliette's mouth water. Around the table was a dish of mango chiboust (a pastry cream that was to die for) and sorbet mousse crumble, the classic crème brûlée with Madagascar vanilla, and anything chocolate from chocolate sablé to simply chocolate chip ice cream. All jokes aside, no one was willing to let go of their plate.

While everyone was enjoying their dessert, Gordon stood up with his wine glass and gave it a tacky clink with a fork. "I just wanted to say a little something before this beautiful night is over," he began, smiling around the table. "AJ, you've been with us for several years now, and I can't tell you what a pleasure it has been to be your friend and your co-worker." He paused, and then added jokingly, "And let me tell you, usually those two things don't coincide." There were a few murmurs of laughter as he continued, "Despite everything that we've been through—the hardships and the broken roads—there's always a brighter day. There's always another chance and a better future." He looked at AJ and rose his glass. "May your many years ahead of you bring you endless opportunities and happiness."

"To AJ," Jake declared, raising his glass. His blue eyes glittered as he smiled faintly at his friend.

"To AJ," the rest chimed in, toasting each other.

"Thank you." Juliette watched as AJ managed to thank Gordon as the party got ready to leave. "That meant a lot."

Gordon only laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's the least I can do, lad."

The night was concluded with a short "after party" at their house with more wine and spirits and conversation. Juliette had managed to quit after two glasses at dinner, unlike Jesse and John who'd both finished an entire bottle of 1986 Chteau Mouton, AJ's favorite. Even AJ decided to lay off the alcohol, despite his friends' encouragement.

When he went to give everyone a little tour of their home, John stayed behind a moment while Juliette took to the kitchen, disposing the empty wine bottle and putting away glasses. She didn't say anything, knowing he would speak up when there was something to say. They both knew he was drunk and that she hated being around people that were heavily under the influence. Though she'd known him for years and came to love him as a brother, deep down Juliette would always remember when they'd first met when she and AJ had started dating. She remembered what happened when you put several glasses of champagne and wine together with lust.

"I have painkillers in the bathroom if you need any," Juliette said simply, turning her back on him to turn the sink on.

"Thanks," John mumbled from the doorway.

She didn't know why those memories were going through her head but she attempted to force them away. She, AJ, and John had all let go of it a long time ago. The past was the past.

"Juliette."

It took a moment for her to steel herself before turning around. "Yeah?"

John's eyes were clouded. "I just wanted to let you know that it's an amazing thing what you did for AJ. Honestly, I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. He deserves it… You deserve it."

Juliette looked away and then put on smile before meeting his gaze. "It's the least I can do. Someone has to show him that what happened months ago wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault." She hadn't meant to bring it up, but her words hung in the air like toxic gas. John had to be thinking the same thing she was and suddenly she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Thankfully AJ had finished his quick tour and the night was over in less than an hour. Everyone was beat and partied out, and Juliette had to admit she was going to kick anyone out that tried to stay. No one seemed to notice that John wasn't really acknowledging her, but then again, neither was she. And she didn't even know why. Hadn't she gotten over that mess in the past?

She breathed out a sigh of relief when AJ shut the front door on Jake's retreating back. "What a long day."

AJ opened up his arms and she all too willingly wrapped herself in them, feeling overcome with exhaustion. "But it was a good long day. Thank you for making this special for me."

"I'm glad you had a nice time," she murmured into his shoulder. Pulling herself away, she took his hand and started towards the stairs, suddenly glad they were alone.

They made it to the door of their bedroom before AJ grabbed her face and kissed her so quickly and with such force it took her a moment to kiss him back. Already his fedora was off and Juliette was attempting to push his suit jacket off his shoulders when the doorbell rang. They both looked at each other and a quick glance at the clock told her it was late for someone to be at their door.

Without a word both of them walked down the hall and down the stairs, quietly and cautiously. Any other person may not have been so discreet but with them, they always had to have their eyes and ears open.

Juliette looked through the peephole, anticipating a policeman or vagabond. Instead, a man in a clean suit and a briefcase stood on the threshold, waiting patiently as if it wasn't after ten o' clock on a Saturday night. Confused, she opened the door and asked, "May I help you?"

The man looked to be in his mid-thirties with blond hair, but a friendly smile was plastered across his slightly lined face. He was quite short, almost six inches shorter than Juliette. "Good evening! I'm Les Walters and I'm a representative of Werremeyer Brothers and Company. Do you mind if I take a few teensy moments of your time to come in and talk about an offer that we have?"

Juliette could feel AJ's surprise that mirrored her own. The man was like one of those cheesy car salesmen, all smiles and glamorous discounts. His voice, his suit, and even the name of the company all seemed… corny. She'd met many people in her life but no one was as corny as this one. Yet she managed to shake off the disbelief and find her voice, careful not to imitate the man's—Les's—tone. "Yes. Of course. I think that'd be… alright."

It felt both awkward and strange leading him to their living room where the twinkling lights of Beijing were brilliant behind the glass wall. Juliette vaguely thought of the fact they had openly let him inside their house, though with a guy as bizarre as this one, she was sure she would have to kindly kick him out in a matter of minutes.

Les didn't appear to be interested in his surroundings—maybe he'd been to plenty of fancy homes. In fact, Juliette wouldn't have been surprised to hear that he had stopped by Rachel's house which was a little less than a mile down the road. He promptly sat down on one of the chairs as Juliette and AJ went to the couch. "Now, I've already told you that I work for the Werremeyer Brothers—"

"Who are they? What does this company do?" AJ interrupted. He looked like he didn't care if he was coming off rude towards the man.

But Les only smiled and answered, "I was just getting to that, actually. We are a bank located largely in the United States. We are relatively small at the moment, only because we have just opened several years ago. We're looking to expand internationally and rise among the other big names. What I have been sent to do is find potential employees and perhaps managers and other high profile workers for the company. I also strive to attract new customers, buy and trade stocks, and all that jazz."

All that jazz? Juliette was beginning to really think this man was impossible. His information seemed off; she had never heard of Werremeyer and she knew AJ hadn't either. The crew had robbed a fair share of banks—this one wasn't one of them.

"And how do you propose to do that? Recruit employees and customers, I mean," AJ said, doubt filling his voice.

That's when something crept into Les's smile that nearly sent a chill down Juliette's spine. It was still that tacky salesman smile, but it was like cheese that had spoiled and gone bad. "Let's use you two as an example." He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and moving his hands around. "You two are brilliant and madly skilled. You have a beautiful home and obviously the money came from somewhere. So what is it that you do? Do you perhaps work on Jinbao Street? Do either of you have rich parents?"

AJ didn't say anything, so Juliette stuttered, "Um… yes?" She wasn't sure if he was using them in a theoretical situation or being serious.

Les sat up. Looking each of them in the eye, he said, "You rob banks." After a moment of stunned silence, he grinned even wider and looked at AJ. "You do bank heists." Then his eyes flickered towards Juliette. "Or you get money through fraud and deception." His voice had lowered almost to the point where Juliette wondered if she'd imagined it.

Her heart was pounding as she said softly, "You're not a bank." Though as she said it, the truth was dawning slowly.

"You could say that." He appeared to be happy that she'd said it aloud.

"What do you want from us?" AJ suddenly stood up, frightening Juliette who'd nearly forgotten everything around her.

"I want your services," Les answered coolly. "My colleagues and I have been searching for people with your talent and skill. Yes, we are sort of a bank, but not your average one. We are just like you: hungry for money and what it brings."

Juliette stood up shakily, her hands clenched at her sides. She was struggling to remain calm and not make any rash movements. Things had taken a turn and she didn't like it. "How do you know about us? How do we know you aren't bluffing?"

Les smirked. "As I've said, we are like you. We know how to obtain our information. And by all means, if you'd like me to prove that we would like to work with you, I will."

"And how would you do that?"

"Well for one thing…" He stood up as well and Juliette felt AJ go stiff beside her. "It isn't an option."

Her ears filled with white noise, almost eliminating the sound of her pounding heartThe blood pounded in her ears and the adrenaline was starting to course through her. Her mind reeled with possible ways to get out of the situation. She pictured herself diving for him, him pulling out a weapon, and then whatever consequences came with whatever happened: cleaning up blood, hiding a body, running through the night, or getting captured. Juliette tried to gather her racing thoughts, something she had never seemed to master. Quick decisions had always been a weak spot.

"If we refuse…?" AJ asked, his breath sounding rapid.

Les shrugged. "Simple. We kill you."

Suddenly there was a great crash, a shattering noise that pierced Juliette's ears and sent her ducking and falling to the ground. It only took her a split second to look up and see several things: the huge wall made of glass had been broken in, the remainders of its pieces scattered about the room. Three men in black stood among the mess, triggering red alarms in her head. They had broken into their home.

And they were going to kill them.

The next few things happened in a blur. Juliette reached underneath the cushion of the sofa behind her and pulled out a semi-automatic handgun, her preferred type, and aimed. At the same time, AJ was reaching for Les who had decided it was his cue to leave. The gun went off but into the darkness beyond the broken glass, missing the black-clad figure diving for her. She pushed herself up and started to run but didn't get three steps in when the man slammed into her. They both crashed onto the hard floor and she cried out as pain shot up her shoulder. The gun had fallen from her grip but the weight of the man was crushing her.

Juliette resorted to what she better knew how to do. Her free elbow slammed into his head and he shouted, almost rolling off her body. She shoved him away and tried to stand but her leg was trapped. It was another one of the intruders, having leapt and snatched at her. She hit the floor again on her back, arm outstretched, trying to reach the gun lying just feet away. He pulled on her and dragged her towards him as he struggled to stand. She could see him clearly: he had brown hair that was sticking out in different places and his dark eyes were angry and wild. Juliette saw that he was distracted with his own fury as he dragged her towards him—she kicked back her other foot—and dragged her again one more time—and struck out as hard as she could right between his legs.

She didn't stop to see his reaction; as soon as his grip loosened, she stood up, almost tripping over the other crumpled figure on the floor. A glint of metal caught her eye and she reached out to seize the knife in his belt. After grabbing the gun and giving another kick at his gut, she ran. While running, she realized she hadn't seen AJ or the other intruder. She didn't know if Les had escaped. Nevertheless, she and AJ had long ago fabricated an escape plan for situations like this. They knew exactly what they had to do when they had to get out quickly, but never really did they anticipate break-ins. They had always thought one would always just be a robber and they could easily take care of that. This though… they never though anyone would be after them.

Juliette had almost made it to the door leading to the garage, reaching out for the knob when there was a crash behind her. Spinning around, she saw down the hall that AJ and the other man had fallen down the stairs and were grappling with each other. Heart and mind racing, she reflexively raised the gun but then threw it down, knowing she couldn't pull the trigger without risking AJ's life. That was when the man stood up, AJ on the ground and she acted quickly.

The knife had somehow made it to her other hand and was flying through the air. It spun from her wild throw, going straight for the man's head—

And buried itself into the wall behind him. AJ had pulled him down and again they were fighting, completely unaware of the protruding hilt above them. Cursing, Juliette grabbed the gun and ran forward, thinking she would somehow tear them apart when someone ran into her view. It was one of the other men and he was holding a gun, its barrel pointed straight at her.

She threw herself down just as a shot was fired and rolled into the bathroom next to her. Gasping for breath, she racked her mind for solutions. Three of them were out there and at least two could be hurting AJ. But she couldn't go out there. Not yet.

Struggling to keep calm, she dug inside one the drawers and pulled out a hand mirror. She held it out before her, adjusting the angle so her view in the hallway was clear. AJ and his opponent were still at it but it looked like… Juliette's heart slammed in her chest. The other one had come along and was giving his friend a hand. The gunman was half paying attention, turning back to look at them.

Juliette rolled out of the bathroom and, aiming as quickly as she was able, pulled the trigger. He buckled with a cry, his gun slipping out of his hand, and fell to the floor. One of the others glanced back and, seeing her running for him, stood up.

But Juliette wasn't planning on using that weapon again. She wanted to pummel him and beat him with her bare hands, inflict on him blows worse than what he'd done to AJ. Chucking it aside, she jumped over the wounded gunman and hurled herself at her target.

They collided but her force wasn't enough to knock him over. Ignoring the burning pain in her shoulder, she didn't even know what she was doing—her hands and feet were flying, delivering kicks and punches that she didn't stop to think about. Their Japanese names came to her fluidly and rapidly—_gyakuzuki, junzuki, maegeri, nagashi uke_…

It wasn't until she heard her name being shouted that she realized the man wasn't even standing. In her peripheral vision stood AJ, having knocked the other guy unconscious. He must have known what she was going to do because he began, "Juliette—"

She thought, _Sokuto keage_, and yelled as she lashed out one last time, her foot connecting with the side of the man's head.

Breathing heavily, Juliette relaxed from her stance and looked at AJ. He was staring at the limp figures before them. He had fight marks all over his body: bruises, scrapes, and a swelling lower lip. His white jacket was gone and his clothes were disheveled. Juliette didn't want to see how she looked.

"I think they're unconscious," she said stupidly, not taking her eyes off him. Her own voice sounded weak and far away.

A ghost of a smile appeared to trace his lips, but when he held a hand out to her, his face was grim. "Come on. Let's get out of here."


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: **Thanks for favoriting and following guys! I hope you like this one.

To _xXMidNiteDreamerXx_, thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad you like it :)

_Chapter 5_

"Oh my God."

After the brutal fight, Juliette and AJ had taken the Cadillac and raced over to Rachel's house, leaving everything they had and the three men behind. Now they stood at her doorstep, the car parked haphazardly on the long driveway that stretched behind them.

Rachel was in sweatpants, her hair tied up in a messy bun and face clear of makeup. The disbelief was fresh in her expression and somehow her outfit made it funny. But no one was laughing; she was spluttering, trying to find words as she stared at them.

Sensing that she was probably nearing a heart attack, Juliette spoke calmly, "Rachel, there's no time to explain. I know how crazy this looks but we have to get out of here and we need your help." AJ stood next to her, his face unreadable in the dim hallway lights from behind Rachel.

She kept on staring and spluttering and it seemed like forever until she nodded her head and stepped aside to let them in.

Without another word, Juliette headed inside and up the stairs with AJ right behind her. Classical music echoed throughout the house from somewhere and the smell of lavender was faint. She recognized the combination as Rachel's home-alone relaxation: Mozart and a hot bubble bath. She hadn't been inside in a long time so she turned to ask Rachel and stopped. The woman was standing by the top of the stairs, standing motionless. Her grey eyes were glazed over and it was apparent that she wasn't actually going to relax unless someone relieved her.

Juliette touched AJ's wrist lightly as she moved past him. Her gaze was trained on Rachel as she tried to get through to her friend, taking her shoulders lightly. "Do you remember that day I asked you for a favor? When I told you that in case of an emergency, AJ and I would have to escape from here?"

The grey eyes remained wide but she nodded.

"That time has come, Rachel. I need you to show me your bedroom so we can find the emergency stash you let me hide."

"Juliette!"

Juliette released her hold and spun around, seeing AJ was no longer behind her. She sprinted down the hall, calling his name and trying to find him. He called her again and she found him in the last room, standing by an open window seat, a duffel bag in his hand. She let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Nothing had happened—he had only found what they were looking for.

Crossing the room, she was careful to keep her voice low as she asked, "What about the others? They could be getting tracked too." Something twisted in her gut as the thought of Jesse or G. or anyone else getting attacked flashed through her mind, especially Rachel, who didn't know as much as Les Walters did.

"I'll call them. You get ready and worry about Rachel," AJ responded, pulling out a bunch of clothes from the bag. "She doesn't look so good."

When he left the room, Juliette heard him ask for the phone and Rachel reply as if she wasn't sure where it was. "Where's the little one?" She decided to go for a lighter conversation as she pulled on the pair of jeans that were in the duffel bag, wincing when she touched a bruise on her leg.

Rachel stood by the door, staring at the floor and looking lost. "Danielle. He's with Danielle. She offered to take care of him today and tonight while I was gone."

"How _is_ your sister doing?" Juliette continued.

"Um…" Rachel hesitated before saying quickly, "Excuse me," and turned to leave.

Juliette looked after her, feeling guilty that her friend was being put through this. Though Rachel had been very keen to help Juliette and AJ when they asked about keeping an emergency bag for them, it was obvious that she'd never expected an emergency to actually happen. No one could blame her.

When she was done dressing in the spare clothes and shoes, she went through the other things that were buried in the duffel: a pocket knife, a few hundred dollars in U.S. currency and the Chinese Yuan, a blanket, and even a box of hair dye among other things. The sky outside was nearly black, the clouds appearing murky and ghostly against the dark backdrop. This side of the house faced away from the city and towards the street where traditional pagoda trees loomed. The watch that had come in the bag flashed 10:16. It had almost been ten minutes since Les Walters knocked on their door and, according to AJ, escaped while the fight broke out.

There was no time to waste. She needed to find AJ and get out of there.

Her hands went up to sweep her hair back into a ponytail when there was a tiny sting in her neck. Vaguely thinking it was a bug, she reached to find it but to her surprise, her fingers came away with a needle-thin dart about an inch long.

Confused, Juliette scanned the room and found Rachel standing by the door once again. She didn't appear to be in a state of shock anymore; in fact, she looked like she had recovered and the cloudiness had gone from her eyes.

"Rachel—" Juliette started forward and froze.

At first she hadn't seen it but it was obvious now, sending a jolt of surprise through her as she looked at it. Something was in Rachel's hand, something long and sleek. It was a familiar object, one that Juliette had used often enough, and it was pointed purposefully toward her:

A tranquilizer gun.

Feelings of dread and realization washed over her like a wave of icy water, almost powerful enough to drown out the drug that was quickly taking effect. Her limbs were beginning to feel like they were liquefying and her sight went in and out of focus. Part of her knew that she only had seconds before she lost muscle movement, senses, and eventually consciousness.

Struggling to keep her eyes on Rachel, Juliette failed to believe what was happening. "Where did you get that?" she asked, her words tumbling out with no restraint.

The hazy figure before her slowly lowered the gun. "I'm sorry." Rachel's voice was low and controlled, making her sound not sorry at all. "I had to."

_But why?_ Juliette wanted to ask but she was slipping away too quickly. The weakness in her knees was hard to fight as she tried to stay on her feet and she could no longer distinguish anything in her vision. It was all just colors and shapes. At this point, the drug had near-complete control and the world went sideways.

She felt the impact as she hit the hardwood floor, only partially aware of the pain that radiated through her injured arm. She heard the dim clink of the needle as it fell but she hardly acknowledged it. Her muscles were no longer responsive and her body urged her to let go, to close her eyes and sleep…

But Juliette tried hard, tried so hard to look at the blurry, unmoving silhouette that was her friend. Rachel, who had come up to her while shopping downtown and complimented her dress… It was Rachel who worked in high-end retail, was afraid of heights, and absolutely loved Juliette's artwork. Juliette tried to ask "Why?" but it came out a sigh and hung between them in the air, a wisp of the dandelion, and the desperate wish of a fading flower.

Yet whatever Rachel said was lost as she gave up. Through the oncoming oblivion, Juliette felt her. She felt her presence as her senses left her, lethargy replacing them, and the drug finally took control.

Juliette let her eyes close and the darkness pulled her under.

* * *

The first thing he felt was pain. Lots of it.

Burning, aching, stinging—he felt it all over his body, in his head, arms, and back. He struggled to come to his senses but the only thing he _could _feel was the pain.

Light washed over his eyelids, turning them bright pink, and his face was hot. In fact, the entire left side of his body was burning up. He was lying on his back… on what, he didn't know. He pried his eyes open and immediately shut them, momentarily blinded. Instead he tried to lift an arm to block the light but just moving it a few inches sent him groaning. Biting his lip, he forced his head to the right where the light no longer shone in his face. It didn't hurt as much as his arm.

Encouraged, AJ rolled over, painfully, onto his side, feeling the heat from the light transfer onto his back. The surface underneath him was soft. A clench of his fist told him he was lying on a blanket. He ignored the pangs of pain shooting through his body and pushed himself upright, letting his eyes adjust to his brightly lit surroundings.

The first thing that came to his mind was: home. For a brief and confused moment, AJ thought he was back inside the living room with its large glass wall and modern furniture. But this wall was broken into different panes and fully intact and the sofas and coffee table were unfamiliar except for their vanilla and chestnut shades. He appeared to be in a loft apartment and was sitting on a futon draped with a fluffy fleece blanket, basking in the light of the sun that hung high outside the window. The air reeked of something sweet and fruity.

Though he now understood why he was so hot, AJ was still as confused as ever. Looking around for an answer, his eye caught the mirror leaning against the wall before him and his heart jumped at his reflection: he was wearing a sleeveless shirt that revealed his tattooed arms and shoulders and his hair was a wild mess, but that wasn't what got his attention. Cuts and scrapes and bruises laced his skin from his neck to his hands. They appeared to be half-healed though and the worse injuries were patched over or stitched. He knew there were more of them hiding underneath his clothes.

Seeing them sent a flood of memories rushing through AJ's head. He saw his friends and their grinning faces. He saw Les Walters on the doorstep of his home. There was Juliette firing at a black-clad figure and then AJ tumbling down the stairs with another one. He remembered Rachel looking like a deer in headlights with her round grey eyes… then waking up to _this_.

All of this had barely gone through his mind when he heard "AJ?" He sat up immediately, eyes scanning the room. The voice was familiar, but it couldn't be…

"AJ, is that you?"

Jake Attica appeared in the corner of AJ's eye, looking just as surprised as AJ felt. He was still wearing the same suit AJ had last seen him in, though it was rumpled like he'd slept in it. His bright blue eyes shone with incredulity as he walked—no, _limped—_ towards the futon. "What happened to you?"

"What happened to me? What happened to _you?_" AJ stood up to help him but instantly regretted it; his muscles ached horribly.

"No, sit down," Jake said when the other man fell back onto the futon. He made it across the room and asked, "What is going on?"

AJ shook his head and slowly sat back, grimacing. "I have no idea, man—"

"What the _hell_ just happened?"

He and Jake looked up to see Jesse coming through a doorway to what appeared to be a bedroom. He seemed to be fine except for the scowl on his face and an angry red mark on his forehead.

"Jesse?" Jake tried to walk over but his leg injury forced him to stay. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." The younger brother plopped down onto a nearby chair and buried his head in his hands. "All I know is my head hurt likes I got hit by a bus." He looked up in confusion. "Where are we?"

"We'd like to know the same thing," a voice said from above.

The three men glanced up and saw Gordon and John descending the stairs, both looking disheveled and disoriented. Gordon looked absolutely panicked, practically jumping down the steps while John was obviously fighting a hangover. "What's going on? What just happened?" Gordon demanded, striding towards them.

"No one knows, G. I think we're all as confused as you are," Jake said, spreading his hands out.

"No one knows how we got here?" Gordon cursed and began pacing the room.

AJ looked around at his friends. "Well, does anyone have any idea where 'here' is anyway?"

When no one answered, John put in, "Las Vegas."

At first AJ didn't believe it but when he squinted out the wall and tried to make out the shapes beneath the sun, he finally saw it. The massive city spread out before them, the Strip perfectly laid out to their right. Beyond the glittering buildings of Planet Hollywood and the Stratosphere and the sparkling lights of downtown were stretches of earth- and dust-colored communities and neighborhoods. Surrounding the city was the Nevada desert, hazy and bright to AJ's eyes.

For several moments it was silent until Gordon said, "We need to get out of here."

"It's locked," Jesse called from what looked to be the front door. He had already gone over to try it before Gordon spoke. He stepped back and threw himself against it. It didn't budge.

John shook his head. "Well we obviously can't get out through a window. We're hundreds of feet above the ground."

"Find a paper clip or something like it." Jake began digging through the drawers of the coffee table. The very act seemed to cause the other three to start going about the loft, throwing drawers and cabinets open, looking under cushions and furniture.

"The last thing I remember was getting out of my shower after the party," John mused, going through a bookcase. "I don't know how I'm dressed in my clothes."

"I'd been taking a shot of scotch in my hotel room," Gordon said.

Jesse made a sound of disbelief. "I think I got knocked out by the room service lady."

His brother stopped digging and lifted his head. "Knocked out? Is that what happened to all of us?"

"Yeah."

The four of them looked at AJ who was staring into an empty drawer. "We just got kidnapped." He glanced up at them. "I was at Rachel's house…" he began.

"At Rachel's house? You mean that red-headed girl?" Jesse asked, staring at him.

"She… we had a break-in at our house. We had to go to Rachel's to get our backup gear—"

"Someone broke into your house?!" Surprise and alarm coated Gordon's voice as he went over to AJ.

AJ gave an impatient wave of his hand. "Yeah, some guy named Les Walters or something came to our door and he knew who we were—what we did, I mean. The bank heists, con plans, everything. He offered us some work with him but when we refused…" AJ shut his eyes and pressed the heels of his palms against them.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Jake ask, "What happened after that?"

"We went to Rachel's. She kept a duffel for us in case we needed it and when we found it, I went to call you guys and warn you while Juliette—"

It was as if someone had flipped a switch in his brain. AJ's pulse quickened and panic arose in his chest. He lifted his head. "Juliette. Where is she?"

The bewildered look on all his friends' faces gave him the answer. He stood up and swung at the porcelain vase standing in the center of the coffee table. It flew across the room and shattered against the wall near Jesse. "Dammit, I shouldn't have left her alone!"

"AJ, AJ, calm down!" Jake grabbed at him but it seemed his violent outburst was short. "We'll find her. Just take it easy."

"It wasn't your fault, J. You were knocked out too," Jesse pointed out.  
"She could be here with us," John suggested, sweeping an arm through the loft.

The five men split up, searching the loft that turned out to be a lot larger than they'd expected. There were several rooms alone on the bottom floor; up the stairs was like a whole new apartment. AJ was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as he opened the last door in a hallway. At first it appeared that it was just like the others—a normal bedroom with a made bed, walk-in closet, and bedside table. He was about to turn back when he saw her.

Juliette was lying on the bed dressed in her backup clothes—a red zip-up hoodie, jeans, and tennis shoes—and her eyes were closed. Though he felt a flood of relief at seeing her, AJ was still fearful as he checked her for a pulse.

"AJ, we can't find her—" John stopped in the doorway and stared at them. "Is she….?"

"She's alive," AJ said, mostly to himself than John. He gently shook Juliette and patted her cheek. "Juliette. Juliette, can you hear me? Jules, wake up."

John stuck his head out into the hall and yelled "We found her!" Then he walked over to the foot of the bed and took Juliette's foot in his hand, prying the shoe off. "Let me try something."

"What are you…?" AJ started but then watched as John started _tickling _her socked foot. Nothing happened for a few seconds until he saw Juliette's eyelids flutter and open.

One moment his hand was resting on her cheek while John held her foot and the next, she was crouched on the bed, her hands posed in front of her in a defensive position. No one moved.

"John?" Juliette squinted at him, not relaxing from her stance. Her eyes scanned the room and came to rest on AJ. "AJ? Oh my God, AJ!" She jumped off the bed and threw her arms around him, almost knocking him off his knees.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, catching her. "Watch the back, watch the back." He flinched as she squeezed him more, his sore muscles complaining.

"What? Sorry," she said, pulling back. "I didn't realize—" Her grey-blue eyes widened as she took him in. "What happened to you?"

AJ furrowed his brow. "You mean, you don't remember…?" When she remained confused, he continued, "The break-in at home? Rachel's house?"

"Rachel." The alarm on her face grew as she frantically said, "Rachel, she—"

"I'm sure she's fine," AJ tried to soothe her.

But she shook her head, standing up and pacing the room. She didn't seem to notice John standing a few feet away, watching them. "No, you don't get it. Rachel—"

"Juliette!" Gordon appeared in the doorway with Jesse behind him. "You found her," he said to John and AJ. "Come on, we've got to get downstairs. Jake can barely walk with that leg he's got. We don't know who could be coming for us right now."

AJ attempted to calm Juliette as they made their way to the lower floor after John gave back her shoe. "How did you know that would wake her up?" he whispered to John.

The other guy shrugged. "Hasn't she always been ticklish?"

AJ didn't say anything. It was true that Juliette was sensitive in that matter but if it wasn't for the situation they were in, he probably would've laughed at the way she woke up.

"Well, everyone's here," Gordon stated, standing in the middle of the room to assess them while the others gathered around him.

"Unfortunately," Jake added. "Someone knows who we are, that's a known fact."

Gordon turned to Juliette and said, "Jules, AJ told us about what happened with the strange businessman, the fight, and going to Rachel's place. What about after that?"

"The last thing I can recall is when Rachel offered me one of her husband's shirts. I remember smelling it and then… that's it," AJ explained.

"Did she say something to you?" Juliette asked, turning her gaze on him. Her arms were crossed and the panic and fear was gone from her eyes—bitterness and something else replaced them.

Taken aback, he said, "What? What do you mean?" He didn't understand the rapid change in her mood.

"I mean, did she say something to you?" she repeated, unfolding her arms. "Did she _tell _you to smell the shirt?"

AJ thought back and shook his head. "No, she told me she wasn't sure if she'd washed it and that she was sorry if it smelled."

Juliette was silent for a moment before shaking her head, first slowly then more vigorously. "No. No, no, no. It can't be… She wouldn't…" She put her hands on the back of one of the sofas and hung her head.

"Juliette, what are you talking about?" Jake asked, frowning.

AJ crossed over to her and put a hand on her lower back. "Hey, are you okay?"

She lifted her head and said in a hoarse voice, "She betrayed us, AJ." Pushing off the sofa and turning to face him, she explained, "There was chloroform on that shirt. There had to be. She offered it to you, said something to make you smell it, and now you're here."

They stared at each other, unmoving. AJ was unable to comprehend her words.

Then Jake asked quietly, "And what about you?"

That's when Juliette looked away. She hesitated for a split second and then reached up to brush the dark locks away from her neck. On her light skin, standing out like a sore thumb, was a small dark red dot placed right over her jugular vein.

"A tranquilizer dart." John's tone was bleak as he gazed at her neck.

"Shit," Jesse spat, putting his hands behind his head and turning away.

"Why would she…?" AJ began but Gordon was heading towards the front door.

"We have no time to guess her motives. We've been kidnapped and there's a high chance we'll be killed. Juliette, can you open this door?"

Juliette seemed to have snapped from her state and followed him. "Do you think it's the same people that wanted me and AJ?"

But Gordon didn't have time to answer. AJ watched in horror as the doorknob between him and Juliette began to turn.


End file.
